Automakers: Don't Make US Make EVs So Loud

The federal government wants electric cars and hybrids to make artificial noise to alert nearby pedestrians and cyclists to their stealthy presence. But carmakers are having a fit, saying the rules will make their EVs much louder than necessary.

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In response to a safety standard proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that would require automakers to install simulated sound devices on future hybrid and electric vehicles, two automotive trade associations representing just about every auto manufacturer have issued a written response calling the regulations "too complicated and unnecessarily prescriptive."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Global Automakers—who between them represent the Big Three here in the States, the Big Three in Germany, and the Big Three in Japan—take issue with the rule's required loudness specifications. As the regulation now stands, future hybrid and EVs must produce sounds distinguishable from ambient background noise up to 18 miles per hour, the idea being to help pedestrians and cyclists hear otherwise-silent electric cars. The federal agency estimates that such safety measures could prevent roughly 2800 pedestrian and cyclist collisions over the lifespan of a hybrid car.

The carmakers' problem: They say the noise doesn't need to be so noisy. According to the trade groups, the NHTSA's requirements call for a noise that's 6 decibels "louder than necessary." Add in manufacturing variability, the groups say, and you have a sound thats 9-12 dB louder than is really needed to get the attention of bikers and pedestrians. To put those values in perspective, the automakers cite vehicle sound data from another trade group, the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. They argue that even high-performance sports cars do not create enough exhaust noise at idling or low speed to meet the same NHTSA standards for EVs and hybrids. In addition, the trade group claims the 18 mph limit for such noise devices is also excessive—tire noise at 12.4 mph is loud enough to attract attention, they say.

Why do the carmakers care so much about these noise differences, anyway? Their report concludes by arguing that the NHTSA-mandated noise levels will not only affect the public's perception of the vehicles—which could affect sales—but also pose an added layer of distraction to the driver and nearby pedestrians, potentially drowning out noise from other cars with internal combustion engines.

From a manufacturing standpoint, the two groups argue that the federal government's suggested phase-in date of September 2014 is not possible. "None of the suppliers currently producing systems for vehicles that are sold today could modify their system to meet the new regulation without extensive development cost and lead-time," they write. If the automakers were to meet the proposed deadline, they argue it would cost them far more than the NHTSA-estimated $23 million price tag.

While the NHTSA did not specifically address the joint group's concerns, the agency is still in the middle of rulemaking—analyzing public feedback as they work towards a final rule.